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How to Survive a Post-Truth Apocalypse

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In a nutshell

An epic journey through a landscape of magical lies, Wikipedia ‘facts’ and the stories we tell ourselves.

Go on...

Join Francesca Beard, your sham-shaman, on an adventure into falsehood. Through a series of fabulous encounters, you will meet make-believe in its many forms, from political spin, to polite half-truths, to the lies we live by: ‘Capitalism is a meritocracy’; ‘Grandma, I love this cardigan’; ‘Yes, I have read the terms and conditions’.

Francesca is one of the most successful spoken word artists in the UK, and has developed innovative work such as Chinese Whispers and Animal Olympics. Directed by Rob Watt, (Standby for Tape Back-up, SEXY) this new show explores our place in a new “post-truth” world that's had enough of experts, but not enough of Donald Trump. It asks: ‘What is the global cost of make-believe?’, ‘Are all humans liars?’ and ‘Can the truth set us free?’

What to Expect

Aone-woman show mixing story-telling, verse, spoken word, (gentle) audience interaction and a game of “Whose Lie is it Anyway”.

Who's Involved

Francesca Beard, Writer and PerformerFrancesca Beard is a London-based, Malaysian-born spoken word artist who makes interactive and transformational work for live audiences. Described as "the Queen of British performance poetry” (London Metro), Francesca has made innovative, often interactive and multi-media one person shows, such as Chinese Whispers and Animal Olympics. These shows have toured nationally and internationally to great acclaim.

Rob Watt, Director and DramaturgRob Watt is a director, dramaturg and facilitator. He is an Associate at Headlong Theatre, an Artist Mentor on the Barbican Box project and regularly teach at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and ALRA. He has directed Ross Sutherland’s Standby for Tape Back-up and Vanessa Kisuule’s SEXY.

Developed with support from Apples and Snakes, Improbable, Cambridge Junction and Roundhouse.

What people are saying

'Beard brings this world to life with her words and personality… and her skill as a performer blooms in her interaction with the audience… Hers is a lesson not in surviving in a lie, but of recognizing the part that we play in creating it.' - Exeunt

'The real moments of magic happened when she stopped us laughing. Charlie Morgan Jones’ lighting and Jethro Cooke’s sound atmospherically drew us into her mind; then the focus was on her beautiful wordsmithery that had us both completely enraptured, and self-reflecting… Beard’s true aim struck hard: How do we know what is real?' - Everything Theatre